10/23/2026
To everyone in our community,
This month will be our last month operating as Bark Alley, closing our doors on October 31st as our last day. Any appointments up until then will be honored. A text is scheduled to go out today to the more recent customers that have visited us in the last three months but it was short. I'd like to offer a more detailed reasoning since questions have been asked and this just makes everything a tiny bit more transparent. If you only care about the business, that part is done and you can stop reading. For those that enjoy a little drama.. grab a snack or something to sip on because I come to you with a chapter book and receipts.
For those who don't know me personally, I'm the person who stepped in to help keep Bark Alley going when the business was struggling financially back in January of this year. I have a full-time job, a family, and commitments outside the salon. Taking on a grooming business was never something I was looking for, and honestly, it wasn't something I initially wanted to do. I was asked to get involved and, after being convinced that I could help turn things around, I agreed. I didn't do it because I needed money or was looking for another source of income. I did it because I was asked for help, I believed the business could improve, and I thought the time and effort I could contribute would make a difference. Once I agreed, I established online booking, made pricing more competitive, organized scheduling, ordered supplies and products, and handled many of the behind-the-scenes responsibilities required to keep the business operating. There was a great deal of work happening behind the scenes that customers never saw. I took on those responsibilities because I agreed to help make the business work—not because I was looking to take something from someone else.
I've stayed quiet for a long time while accusations have been made about my character and people have been encouraged to believe a version of events that leaves out important context. But when those accusations begin affecting my reputation, the people who worked for me, and even my relationship with my child, I have a right to tell my side of the story. When I became involved, I had serious concerns about the existing business's financial situation, including potential tax liabilities and discrepancies in its previous financial reporting. Based on the information available to me at the time, those discrepancies appeared to exceed $100,000. I wasn't willing to risk taking on someone else's financial obligations or becoming entangled in a tax matter involving liabilities I hadn't created. That's why I established a new LLC under my own name, signed my own lease directly with the landlord, purchased my own equipment, and took on my own business expenses while operating under a DBA using the Bark Alley name. These were deliberate decisions to establish and operate the business independently without assuming the previous business's potential liabilities. Now, I'm being publicly accused of stealing that very business. Speaking of stealing and accusations of me not paying Mystie's last check or her husbands.. not only was she paid but in the attached screenshots you'll find a transfer she made from the Bark Alley business account we shared to her personal of over $1,900. So.. who's stealing? This also left the remaining groomers with checks that couldn't be cashed. I paid those checks out of my personal bank account. The entire business was on the table for her to take as soon as the lease was up as you will see in the photos and that lease was only a month in a half away from ending.
I have messages documenting how this arrangement came about, including conversations in which Mystie asked me to take over, referred to me as "boss," and encouraged the formation and use of my LLC. I'm prepared to share relevant documentation because people deserve to see the context for themselves rather than relying solely on one person's version of events. I'm not asking anyone to blindly believe me. I'm asking people to consider the timeline, review the evidence, and make up their own minds. There is a difference between a business arrangement that eventually falls apart and someone stealing a business. I reject the characterization of me as a thief, and I won't continue allowing that accusation to go unanswered. I'm not claiming to be perfect, and I know not everyone will agree with every decision I've made. But I know why I established my own LLC, what I invested in building Bark Alley, and the work I put into improving its operations.
Another line was crossed when my child was brought into this dispute through accusations that I've brainwashed him. He is in fifth grade now, and since kindergarten, I haven't seen his mother attend his school events or important milestones. Meanwhile, I've continued showing up for him and carrying the responsibilities of raising him, including approximately $30,000 in unpaid child support that I have not pursued her for. I've chosen to absorb that financial burden rather than turn it into a public fight. I don't involve my child in our disagreements, and I won't use him to attack his mother. But accusing me of manipulating him while I've focused on providing for him and keeping adult conflict away from him is deeply upsetting. He's a child, not a weapon to be used in a public dispute. Whatever disagreements exist between the adults, leave him out of this. There have also been claims that I somehow played a role in her other children being kicked out of school. Here's the context from my side: I was listed as an emergency contact, but her phone number had changed, and I didn't have her updated contact information. When the school contacted me, the person I spoke with was a social worker. I couldn't provide her new contact information, and during that conversation, they were trying to verify her address. Her address had been listed as mine, despite the fact that she had never lived at my home. I cannot confirm what ultimately happened with her children's schooling, and I'm not going to pretend I know more than I do. But if there were issues involving school records or address verification, that is the context I personally know. I wasn't in a position to provide information I didn't have, and I won't accept blame for circumstances I didn't create.
There is also important context behind the conflict involving Mystie's husband. His aggression made other groomers uncomfortable, and I had serious concerns about his treatment of dogs. As the person responsible for the business, I had an obligation to take those concerns seriously and protect both my staff and the animals entrusted to us. I eventually reached a point where I asked him to leave as a direct result of his attitude and hostility in the business space. I did not ask Mystie to leave; she chose to leave herself. From there, the situation escalated into the conflict we're experiencing today. I believe I had every right to draw that boundary based on what I experienced and the responsibilities I had to my team and the dogs in our care. What's difficult to accept is being portrayed as the villain for making that decision while the circumstances that led to it are left out of the conversation. I'm not asking anyone to harass or attack anybody, but I do encourage people to consider the full picture and apply the same standards of accountability to everyone.
What angers me most is watching my groomers become collateral damage in a personal dispute they had no part in creating. They've faced disrespect from customers over allegations directed at me. One customer even made a groomer cry—a person with absolutely no involvement in this conflict who was simply showing up to work and caring for dogs. What did she do to deserve that? Absolutely nothing. I've also watched Google reviews change to include phrases like "after talking to the previous owner." Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to sharing genuine experiences, but when reviews begin reflecting conversations about a personal dispute rather than firsthand experiences with the service, it's fair to question whether those reviews are really about the business anymore. Mystie can tell her side of the story, and customers can decide for themselves who they believe. But my groomers should be judged on their own work and how they treat your pets, not on what someone says about me. If you have a problem with me, address it with me. Don't take it out on my team. Making an uninvolved employee cry isn't accountability; it's crossing a line.
There's also been a claim that my groomers aren't certified. That is false. She may have hired uncertified groomers but I put the remaining groomers through a few courses and paid to get them certified as soon as my LLC was established. Every one of my groomers holds AKC S.A.F.E. certifications, and we have the documentation to prove it. If someone is going to publicly question their professionalism and qualifications, then the facts should be considered, too. I've also had concerns about whether the previous business was adequately insured during Mystie's ownership. I'm not raising that to suggest one issue excuses another; I'm pointing out that my team's qualifications and professionalism are being questioned while relevant context about the previous business is being left out. And yes, my groomers take longer than Mystie did. Some customers have complained about that. But they prioritize patience, careful handling, and taking the time to groom dogs without rushing and risking cuts or injuries. These are living animals, not an assembly line. I'd rather my groomers take extra time to work carefully than rush a dog out the door just to meet a clock. I will never apologize for prioritizing an animal's safety over speed. I'm proud of my team. They show up, do their jobs, care for the animals entrusted to them, and deserve to be treated with respect. They shouldn't have to defend themselves against accusations they had nothing to do with or fear being mistreated by customers because of a personal dispute involving their employer.
I also want to clear up one important detail: I did find a place to relocate Bark Alley. The decision to close wasn't because I couldn't find a location or because I gave up when things got difficult. After everything that has happened—the constant conflict, the accusations, and the impact this situation has had on me and the people around me—I've reached a point where I simply don't have the energy to keep carrying this business forward. I have a full-time job, a family, and responsibilities outside the salon, and I have to recognize when continuing comes at too great a personal cost. I'm choosing to step away rather than sacrifice more of my own well-being to keep it running. But stepping away from Bark Alley does not mean I'm stepping away from my groomers. I will continue helping them find good places to work, build their skills, improve their circumstances, and make sound financial decisions for their futures. That includes helping them understand their responsibilities as 1099 independent contractors, plan for taxes, track income and expenses, and prepare for tax season instead of being caught off guard or somehow missing $100,000 in reported revenue (unbelievable). I want to see these people succeed, become more independent, and build careers they can be proud of. My commitment to them was never supposed to end just because the business did. I may be closing this chapter, but I'm not abandoning the people who trusted me and worked alongside me.
As Bark Alley prepares to close its doors, our groomers have found a new home at a salon in Springdale, where they can continue doing what they love. Kimberly will be keeping the Bark Alley phone number to help ensure our clients aren't left behind during her transition. To every client who trusted us with your pets, every person who supported our business, and everyone who treated us fairly even when things became complicated, thank you. Your support has meant more than you know. The business may be closing, but the work we put into it, the relationships we built, and the care we gave your pets cannot be erased by the circumstances surrounding its end.
I'm not writing this to encourage harassment, demand that anyone take my side, or turn social media into an endless argument. I'm writing because remaining silent has allowed a one-sided narrative to circulate while my reputation and the people who worked for me have suffered the consequences. I can't control what other people say about me, and I can't force anyone to see things from my perspective. What I can do is tell my side, provide the relevant documentation, and let people decide for themselves. My reputation matters. My groomers deserve respect. My child deserves privacy. And our community deserves the opportunity to hear more than one side of the story.
If you enjoyed this short story, I'm sorry but there will not be a sequel. The media provided here is only a fraction and if more come out it will be in a legal case if at all. Thank you for being part of the family and hopefully understanding the decisions made.
P.S. Any situation or financial hole Mystie is currently in is due to her own negligence and unwillingness to make an attempt at better decisions in both her personal and professional life. Choosing v**e juice and daily $50 door dash orders over buying off-brand Lucky Charms for her kids is exactly that, a choice. She walked out of a perfectly good job making well over $1,000 a week with her husband also being allowed to work there despite his criminal background just to turn around and destroy good people's reputations.
